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Plastisphere viruses: hidden drivers of antibiotic resistance dissemination
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Researchers identified the plastisphere — microbial communities colonizing plastic surfaces in aquatic environments — as a significant reservoir for bacteriophages that facilitate horizontal transfer of antibiotic resistance genes, suggesting that plastic pollution may be accelerating the spread of antimicrobial resistance beyond what bacterial mechanisms alone would predict.
Plastispheres, novel niches in the Anthropocene, have been recognized as hotspots for the accumulation and dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), posing potential threats to both environmental and public health. While mechanisms driving ARG dissemination have been extensively investigated, the role of viruses remains elusive. Here, we propose that plastisphere viruses may act as hidden drivers of ARG dissemination by mediating horizontal gene transfer, broadly interacting with prokaryotes, and encoding resistance-related auxiliary metabolic genes (AMGs). Through these processes, plastisphere viruses may enhance host adaptability to new niches, inadvertently promoting the dissemination and evolution of ARGs, particularly within pathogenic microbial communities. Nevertheless, the precise role of plastisphere viruses in ARG dissemination remains inadequately characterized. Future research should employ advanced approaches to quantify virus-host ARG flux, elucidate viral infection dynamics, and validate the functionality of viral AMGs, ultimately advancing understanding of how plastisphere viruses shape ARG dissemination.
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Environmental Risks of Plastisphere Viruses: Carrier Effects, Virus–Host Interactions, and Mechanisms of Resistance Dissemination
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Tiny plastic particles floating in water and soil quickly get coated with slimy biofilms that can attract and concentrate viruses, potentially turning microplastics into rafts that help spread disease-causing germs and antibiotic-resistant genes. This review pulls together existing research on the topic, and while the evidence so far is mostly based on indirect genetic analysis rather than direct proof, it raises an important flag: microplastic pollution might be doing more than just littering our environment—it could be helping harmful viruses travel and share dangerous traits. More hands-on lab testing is needed to confirm how big a real-world health risk
The plastisphere as a nexus for antimicrobial resistance: micro(nano)plastics in pathogen colonization, gene transfer, and global health risks
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This review characterizes the plastisphere — microbial communities colonizing microplastic surfaces — as a triple threat that serves simultaneously as a habitat for pathogens, a reservoir for antibiotic resistance genes, and a facilitator of horizontal gene transfer across ecosystems. The convergence of microplastic pollution and antimicrobial resistance represents an underappreciated global health crisis requiring integrated One Health surveillance strategies.
Plastispheres as reservoirs of antimicrobial resistance: Insights from metagenomic analyses across aquatic environments
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This study analyzed the diversity and abundance of antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) in plastisphere metagenomes from 36 samples collected in freshwater, raw wastewater, and treated wastewater environments, constructing 537 high-quality metagenome-assembled genomes to identify pathogens and link ARGs to bacterial hosts. Results showed wastewater plastispheres contained the highest ARG diversity, with beta-lactam, aminoglycoside, and tetracycline resistance most abundant, highlighting the plastisphere's role as a reservoir and disseminator of antimicrobial resistance.
Microplastics: Disseminators of antibiotic resistance genes and pathogenic bacteria
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This review examined the role of microplastics as carriers of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and pathogenic bacteria, analyzing how plastisphere biofilms concentrate and spread AMR through air, water, and soil environments. The evidence supports MPs as global vectors for antimicrobial resistance dissemination with implications for human health.
Microplastics and the plastisphere: hidden players of global antimicrobial resistance
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This review summarizes existing research on tiny plastic particles (microplastics) in the environment that become coated with microbes, forming a "plastisphere." Studies show these coatings often carry more antibiotic resistance genes than surrounding water or soil, and may help spread resistant microbes between environments, though gaps remain in understanding the exact mechanisms.
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